


of saints and devils and the humans in between

by silenceandtears



Category: Avatar: The Last Airbender, Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: And school, Basically they go to a Hogwarts-inspired school, Because clearly I'm terrible at being original, Because friendship pays my bills, Because my mind has warped it, But friendship, I Say, If there's going to be any relationships there're going to be canon, It's really not much like Hogwarts though, Only one confirmed so far is Sokka and Suki, actually don't, actually no not really, and friendship!, friendship helps me avoid my bills though!, like a broken record, obviously, on rerun, quite a bit, there's friendship though!, they're all friends and the show didn't have enough of it fight me on this
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-11-12
Updated: 2020-05-14
Packaged: 2021-01-29 16:13:56
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 4
Words: 8,837
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21412990
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/silenceandtears/pseuds/silenceandtears
Summary: There has not been a prophecy for a hundred years. But now, suddenly, inexplicably, there is.Or: Ozai wins the Worst Possible Person Ever Award, and the Gaang goes to school. Well, rather they're physically in school but spend most of their time skipping class. As can only expected. Aang is excitable, Katara is determined, Sokka lost his sanity and all sight of logic fifteen chapters back, Zuko is Done With Life (and also tea), and Toph is, as per usual, violent and underestimated.
Comments: 30
Kudos: 76





	1. Prologue

\- And this is how it goes.

There has been a prophecy, _the people whisper, in clear-aired rooms and sturdy stone buildings and by steady candles and glowing globes of water. _

Did you hear? _Children hiss to each other in dusty classrooms, as teachers hush them and glance at doors. _

It is the first in a hundred years,_ notes read, passed over and over through clinging hands. It is well-worn and crinkled when it reaches the back of the classroom. _

\- A prophecy...prophecy...phecy...cy...

_It echoes through corridors, winds its way through dark, dimmed streets, ducks beneath tables and slides... _

_Behind locked doors- come, follow- follow me as we maneuver around guests dancing at the formal party- look! here! do you see the girl standing in the corner? The slouched one, yes. Her name is Toph Beifong. _

_She is sitting down now, swinging her legs with evident impatience. Guests preen around her, ensuring her parents can see or out of pity- the blind heir to the Beifong riches! What a shame! _Did you hear? _They had asked, when she was first born. She rolls her eyes, huffs, crosses her arms, but the guests keep coming, streams hoping to secure themselves in her parents’ good graces._

_ Toph Beifong does not care for these guests with their fakery and words rolled in honey, but she does care for her parents’ work. She restrains herself, accepting sugary pity and giggly, high-pitched conversations. See how tight she is, how her face twitches and fists clench. See how the guests stumble over their words, taken aback, uncertain what they are doing wrong. Some have the sagacity to withdraw, sink back into the vortex of a dance floor; others doggedly pursue, desperate for her to put in a good word for them. And later, see which ones remain in court._

_ Her crossed arms are tight now. She is angry. How long until she explodes? _

_A woman comes up, face gentle. She slides between the other guests, a man following close behind. Their arms slide in each other, fingers clasped gently- the ultimate trust, that the other will be there. The woman slips in, glides into a chair close by. _

“Hello,”_ she says, smiling, kind. _“Are you Toph?”

_There is silence, blunt as rocks. The woman does not seem to mind, does not seem to feel the need to fill it up. Notice how Toph crosses her arms, decidedly unlady-like, throws herself back, turns away, just a little. The woman dips her head, acknowledging. _

“Well,”_ she says now, _“I have two children, if you’d like to meet them.”

_Toph’s head snaps around- this is the way of the court, student. Quiet hints and forged marriages, though I doubt that this woman meant it that way, pushing each family up just a little bit higher, making each a little bit stronger._

_ She leaves, now, and Toph’s fists clench. _ _Two feet away from her, the woman's necklace, made of carved blue stone, cracks down the middle. Beside her, the man calls out for help, face deliberately calm but pinched as the woman presses her lips together, upset. But soon an earthbender is there- a finger to the ruined jewelery and it is fixed._

_ And Toph Beifong kicks her feet up and smiles. _

_...slips around cobblestones, dances around slapping feet... _

_This way, now. Follow the woman and the man. Candles from the chandeliers glance off of her necklace- it is lovingly made, with obvious care. Their clothes are plainer compared to the other guests here- just that much more practical, less gaudy, less expensive. They wind around, laughing and making polite conversation, but look where their eyes go-_

_ -A brother and sister, standing together. The girl seems a little more hesitant, does she not? The boy is more confident._

"-And I'll be the best hunter in the world!"

_"Sokka!_ Princess Yue is _not_ interested in your terrible hunting skills!"

_No. They have the same energy, a little fiercer for the girl. It will pay them well, later, I think. _

_The boy laughs, winks with painful exaggeration, and the girl groans and apologizes and drags her brother away from the laughing princess. Their voices are not loud enough to rise over the floating music, but it hardly matters- their language is one with no need to be spoken. The brother swings an arm over his sister’s shoulder, grabs a skewer of meat from a passing servant. The other guests glance at them, faces fond and amused or disapprovingly cold, but they are in their own little world, forged of late nights talking of life and anecdotes under the stars and long winters shivering together around a feeble campfire. This is the second rule: never get close. Not when their laughter sings brighter than the music and warmer than the blazing fires, not when their eyes shine bright and happy- especially not then. _

_Step left- right- spin around and away from a twirling young girl, face tense and a little bored but mostly emotionless, we duck after this brother and sister, who now laugh and giggle and shove, playful- _

_Sokka and Katara. _

_Katara and Sokka. _

_This is the first lesson, and the first lesson is this: the future holds its secrets tight. Ignorance is bliss, but knowledge will tear the world and sky apart to reach the sun._

_ ...duck your head, rumour, dive into the bar that materializes into the night..._

_ We spin away from the party, from the vivid afterimages of colourful clothes and bright white- light candles. They fall away quickly, and we stumble to a stop in a dim-lit hallway. A beat, to gather ourselves, and then we hurry on. There is much to see tonight. _

_A boy comes, now, walks with strides as long as his half-grown legs will make them. He smiles at us, bright and happy, unquestioning, face clear, and says, letters dipped at the edges in silver, the voice of aristocracy, _

"I do hope that you are enjoying the night?"

_Smile- no, do not speak, we do not interfere, this is the first rule, this is our curse, to watch and think and understand and never act- nod, move on. He is heir to the throne, son of Ozai and Ursa, brother of Azula. His magic is weak, and he has had to work to reach average. The torches on the wall catch the gold stitching on his robes as he turns down the palace corridor, and for a moment the dragons come alive._

_ His name is Zuko. Have you heard of him? He is happy. Joyful. Believes in the good of the world. _

_Beliefs can be shattered, and here is your second lesson: those most innocent and most idealistic become those most bitter when the world is revealed to them. _

* * *

_The rumour enters the bar in the shape of a man._

_ He cuts across the room... _

_...to the back..._

_ ...where another sits, with a Pai Sho board._

* * *

_ His name is Iroh, but he goes by many. _

_Some call him_ Uncle_, or_ General_, or _Son_ or, sometimes, cold and delicately inflected, _Brother.

_ And sometimes, he has no name. _

_The bar is heavily filled, with people and sweat and drink and voices clamouring to be heard, drunken and sober. This man is not here for that, not tonight. He sinks into the chair across from the other Pai Sho player, dips his head and smiles._

“Good evening, kind sir! May I have a game?”

_The voice that replies him is accented, heavy and layered and caked thick with rust and harshness. _“Guest has first move.”

_ The man grins wide at his opponent (friend? It is too early to tell) and digs through the bag, until he feels the familiar etchings of the White Lotus tile. It clicks against the board, and the other player’s eyebrows arch. _“I see you favour the white lotus gambit,” _he says, voice seeming to blot out the cacophony from the patrons of the bar. _“Not many still cling to the old ways.”

_The man with no name has smile wrinkles that grow ever the more profound when he beams like this. _“Those who do can always find a friend,” _he answers, and leans forward and opens his palms. A flower, blossoming to the world. _

_The other man studies the gesture, as if searching for anything lacking (he will not find it, if that is what he is searching for) before mimicking. _“Then let us play.”

_ The catcalls and shouting and arguing seem to dim, blocked out by a translucent screen that this unnamed man erects around himself. The only sound is the harsh breathing from the other man and the click-clink-click of tiles placed in careful places with careful hands and careful manners. Pine. River. Air. Flame. Images scraping themselves onto wood. The lotus opens its petals, and it blooms._

_ The other man eyes the board, then rises._ “Come with me.”

_ There is a tunnel behind the kitchen, and the staff ignore the two of them. A shelf of bread, fully stocked, is pushed aside, and here gapes a hole, diving into nothingness. They slip in, and the other man turns. _“Speak.” _His voice his hard and brisk. The torches cast wary orange flares over his face._

_ At any other time, Iroh- it's safe to be Iroh, again, here- would have commented on the ingenuity of using bread as insulation. He would started conversation, laughed, joked until the other man softened and relented his walls, but now is not the time for it. Iroh gazes down the tunnel, and says, voice hard and unmoving, _“There has been a prophecy. You must wake the Avatar.”

* * *

_Gyatso is old, and tired, and has not slept in a very long time. But he has promised himself that while there is reason to, he will live and fight. And is Aang not reason enough to?_

_ He leans over his student’s sleeping body. The sky bison slumbers in a corner- Gyatso didn’t have the heart to separate them, not when all of Aang’s friends are dead and gone. Or gone. (There isn’t much difference. The lines between the two have blurred and mixed until you couldn’t tell which is which.)_

_ All life is sacred, but Gyatso finds himself caring little for Ozai’s._

_ Waking Aang is necessary. The prophecy needs him. The world needs him. But now that the task has come, Gyatso is unwilling to do it. Aang was always so happy- and the world now is so strained. A viper pulls itself ever tighter around the people, a veil blinds them, and soon the viper will strike. They have little time. But will this Aang be as before? Always so willing to smile, and laugh- _

_Then perhaps the world needs him more, now. The gods know Gyatso needs him. _

_He makes his decision, whispers a spell. _

* * *

_A hundred years have passed. There is a new prophecy dawning on the world, and with it comes the Avatar._


	2. the burden of heaped up years

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which introductions are made, Sokka is provocative, and Zuko is so, so, so painfully awkward.

There are three rules with which Zuko governs his life, and they are as follows.

One: Father comes first. (No matter what.) It is a promise Zuko made to himself the day he was banished _(dragged stumbled out of the cold cold bed stood in front of the mirror stared at the bandages felt the burning pounding throb in his eye and thanked Agni for Father's mercy and his hands had formed the Flame, and he had vowed with fire-forged iron will that he would not disappoint Father again , ever-)_

(-ever ever ever ever ever)

But one way or another, he will find his way back.

Two: Whatever he does, he must do it with honour, unless it is Father's will, (because if Father commanded it, it is right, and to think otherwise is treason and _this is why he got banished,_ Father is always right, always-

-right?)

_(right?)_

Right. And three: These are the only things that matter, because there's no _time _to think of anything else, and whatever the rules entail he will (must) do.

And that includes following the _other_ rules that this stupid school made, and why Uncle approved them he will never know. Especially rule number four, something along the lines of _attack on other students, of any kind, will not be tolerated, _and if it were, he could _throw a fireball at the stupid peasant's smug little face. _

But then father would never take him back, so instead Zuko settles for slowly heating the metal fork and the peasant's food so that the inside burns and it's too hot to pick up, because really, there'd be no proof that it was him.

"Peasant," he says, slowly, evenly, the way one might to a particularly stupid child, (not to say that Water Tribe isn't, because Zuko secretly has a theory that the peasant had a- some kind of brain transplant from a six-year-old) "you know nothing about my family. You haven't seen your own father for several years, now, so why would you know _anything_ about families?"

And that's. That's _perfectly logical, _they go to a _boarding school all year round, _why does Water Tribe look like he wants to commit murder?

* * *

Sokka's going to commit murder.

He's so angry he almost can't breathe, because _how dare he, _he's _never _had to say goodbye to his horrible disgusting slag heap of a father (but it's still a father,_ your_ father, and he's leaving you and your sister behind and that's not how it was, it was _duty, _but it feels that way), he's never had to hunt for nineteen people and step in as acting chief-

Wait-

How did Prince Jerkbender know that Dad was at war?

The ugly-

And Sokka's mind is on overdrive-_does he have spies? Has he gone to the Southern Tribe, what did you do to them? How does he know how does he know how does he know-_

"At least _I _call him Dad and not _Father,_" Sokka blurts, and wow that was weak, but Prince Jerkbender looks like Sokka just slapped him across the face and stabbed him, so clearly his father’s a soft spot, and _ha _take that.

But Sokka's already backtracking away- he's had the last word and he has to talk to Katara, because _what _and they need a plan. He's already organizing it all- how is he getting his information, what can they do to stop him from getting his information, because contrary to popular opinion Sokka _can _be neat and thoughtful sometimes. Popular opinion tends to be unreliable, anyways.

He grabs his food and scans the Great Hall for her, but she’s already weaving through the crowds of students towards him, Aang bouncing after her, like she has some kind of radar for when she’s needed.

(On second thought, she probably does.)

"Sokka," she says, scowling at him, "I thought I told you to stop provoking the firebender. You _know _who his father is."

"That's not the point," Sokka says immediately, and her eyes narrow which is _yikes_-not-a-good-thing. "Okay, come on, we need to talk in private. Aang, you come too."

"Really?" Aang asks brightly, and Sokka silently thanks Tui and La for tiny enthusiastic Avatars who have scary sisters wrapped around their thumb. Katara's eyes are already un-narrowing (shut up, that's totally a word) and she's relaxing and forgetting all about the stupid firebender.

"Come on," she says, grabbing Aang and Sokka by the hand and dragging them away. "What is it, Sokka?" 

The doors of the Great Hall drift closed behind them, and Sokka blinks, disorientated, the voices of the other students (_prisoners, _something whispers in the back of his mind) falling away suddenly. His mouth is already moving ahead of his mind, and he's blurting, _"The prince knows about Dad."_

There's a dead beat of silence, and even Aang's face goes worried and uncertain.

"What," Katara says, her voice already dropping. "You mean- about Dad going to war?"

"And I don't know _how,_" Sokka hisses, waving his arms, because this is the kind of situation that calls for Dramatic Interpretation of Life, "it's only the three of us who know in the whole school, and maybe a couple high-ranking Northern Tribe-" he preemptively shuts down any thoughts of Yue "and none of us would ever tell, so the only possibility is some kind of spy, but-"

"A spy?" Aang brightens. "What're we going to do? Get close with Zuko and figure out who the spy is?" 

He looks so excited about the idea, and Sokka's already feeling bad about shooting him down, but-

But.

But-

"...That's. Actually a pretty good idea," he says, slowly, processing what that would mean. "Aang. Aang, that would _totally work."_

He turns to Katara, half-expecting her to be worrying at her bottom lip and pointing out how dangerous that would be, but her chin is set and her eyes have the look that usually comes with a bucket of ice water flying towards Sokka's face. "It would," she says, and then, "come on. We're going to my dorm."

* * *

Toph imagines punching her tutors face in. With a brick.

Actually, she has no idea what her tutor looks like, but she knows what he's like and she knows what a brick's like, so it's not that hard, actually. Smarmy face. Brick. Boom, she's out, he’s gone.

The badger moles are _so _much better. Even Master Liang, from what she's heard. But _noooo, _her parents just _had _to hire a private tutor for their poor, delicate daughter's poor, delicate constitution.

Come to think of it, it's probably going to be more efficient to bring the whole room down on him. But then, it would show more control if she pulled one brick out, which might show her parents she is, in fact, an excellent earthbender and that oh-so-shockingly no, she did not, in fact, need a stupid powdered pathetic idiot to waste the world's space and her time, but bleh. Since when had she cared about what other people thought, anyway?

* * *

"So he's spying on us," Sokka concludes.

Aang beams like the loyal friend he is (or overly exuberant kid, Sokka's still working on it) and asks, "so can we try to be friends with him?"

Overly exuberant kid, Sokka decides, and presses a finger to his temple. "Aang. _Aang, _we've discussed this. When you said get close, I thought you meant follow him all over the school until we figure it out."

"We can't do that," Katara points out, and Sokka buries his face in his hands. "It'd be impossible, there're only three of us. Unless you were thinking of asking Yue for help?"

Ugh. _Sisters._ "Why must everyone in my life insist on betraying me this way?" Because fine, they've got a point, but that doesn't mean Sokka's got to like it.

"So we are going to be friends with him!" Aang cheers, what in the name of Tui. 

"Katara's liable to punch his face in the minute he opens his mouth," Sokka says weakly, though he knows the argument's been lost. Case in point:

"Katara wouldn't do that!" 

"_I'm _not the male with anger issues here."

_"Excuse you," _Sokka mutters, _"how dare."_

"Excellent," Katara goes on, completely ignoring Sokka, "Aang, Sokka and I can carry this out. It's too dangerous for you."

Sokka is vindicated. Slightly. If Aang would stop doing his freaking puppy-dog eyes, where did he even learn that, no, Katara, don't give in-

"You're the Avatar," Katara says, though more gently, "we can't risk him somehow capturing you. Who knows how much he's found out?"

"Let's go find him," Sokka cuts in, neatly sliding between Katara and the all-commanding power of Aang's Wobbly Chin and Watery Eyes Duo. "Might as well start now, right? Come _on, _Katara, don't look into his eyes, you know the drill-"

"I know the drill, Sokka, _stop it. _Aang, I'm sorry-"

_"Katara, no-"_

Aaannd too late. 

He'll worry about it later. Right now, he has a prince to <strike>gently</strike> question.

* * *

There is a monkey hanging from the bookshelf over his head that Zuko is ignoring.

Actually, he's not sure it's a monkey. It could just as well be a deranged baboon. Possibly both. But he's _ignoring _it, so that doesn't matter.

_Though this particular dragon's-_

"Ooh, are you reading about dragons?"

_-appearance tends to frighten away-_

"There's a test on that soon for your class, isn't there?"

_-most creatures, this is more of-_

"I'm Aang! Are you Zuko?"

_-a defensive strategy, as there have-_

"Do you like studying? Katara and Sokka are okay with it, but it's always hard for me to focus-"

"Are all talking animals this persistent?"

There's a brief moment in time during which Zuko realizes that the talking baboon-monkey is actually, in fact, a talking child, which means social interaction, which means the afternoon's just going to go more downhill _(at least I call him Dad and not_ Father) which is lovely. Just. _Lovely._

_Sokka, _his brain supplies, and Zuko pauses. Eyes the kid. 

"Tell me," he says at last, "did Sokka enjoy his food?"

* * *

Maybe they're more alike than Sokka'd thought! Sokka's food doesn't have anything to do with the conversation, and Aang blurts things that don't have anything to do with the conversation out half the time, so that's something they can bond over, right?

He drops down from the bookshelf. "He didn't really eat much of it," Aang says. "Took one bite and spat it out, which is _really _weird, Sokka _loves _his food! What's your favorite?"

And Zuko's smiling now, just a little, so maybe he's not as evil as Katara and Sokka said?

* * *

They can't find the prince, but they do find the blind heir to the Beifong fortune and a disintegrated room.

She's crying and sniffling, and _ugh, _Katara _should _be focusing on finding the firebender, and Sokka's giving her this Look but she just looks so sad and afraid and Katara can't help it, okay.

"Are you alright, Toph?" She calls out, because everyone who's anyone knows who Toph Beifong is. She turns her face to them, still tear streaked, and begins stumbling her way over. Sokka sighs, and Katara turns her glare up a few notches as she turns to scowl at him. "Here," she says, and reaches out to brush her fingers over Toph's arm. "What happened? Do you need me to call one of the masters?"

"Did _you _collapse that room?" Sokka demands gleefully. Katara stomps on his foot, Tui and La, how insensitive can someone be?

Toph sniffs again. Katara wraps an arm around her shoulders, strangely protective. Toph flinches a little, sucking in a breath, but Katara just pulls her in. It's something she would do with the Water Tribe children sometimes- Inuksuk when he had fallen through the ice and almost drowned, Sakari when her grandmother had died-

-Lusa who she had not seen in four years, Hanta who had died of hunger when he was barely six-

Toph is talking, her voice breathless and wobbly. "I don't know what happened- one minute we were doing our breathing exercises, and then- and then-"

"You mean he pulled it down on _himself?" _Katara hasn't seen her brother this happy since the Fire Prince's father sent a Howler. "This is the best day of my life. Master Fan's _useless, _I don't think I've ever seen him actually earthbend-'

"Sokka, _shut up," _Katara hisses, and he does, in fact, shut up.

Shocking.

"Someone without the competence to control his powers is teaching you?" Katara frowns. "I think you should talk to your parents about getting a new teacher."

"Oh, yeah," Sokka says, brightening. "And then we'd never have to see him again!"

Toph starts shaking, and Katara's fingers tighten. She gives Sokka a _look what you've done, you've made her start crying _look, but then Toph makes a kind of cackling noise and-

Is she _laughing? _

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I? OkAy WOW I wasn’t expecting anyone to read this, much less leave kudos! So THANK YOU and also thank you!  
(I may be irrationally excited, has anyone considered that we get excited over people clicking a button on chapters?)  
...But also thank you all!
> 
> ...and I finally have the plot completely detailed out, I told myself I wouldn't be mean but guess who's being mean
> 
> And bit of promotion- check out coolbeans446 for lovely work and lovely people!


	3. microscopic

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> hear the war drums  
(ever closer!)  
banging, marching, echoed here;  
banging closer into haven  
strength unfettered; with no fears  
as we delve into the history and tears

He remembers, how, once, six or seven years ago (when did he get so _old?_) Azula had visited him in the palace library.

It had been summer, then; the air pleasantly warm, sunlight in a steady stream. He had been in one of his favorite spots, one that he had dug out when the librarian Mother had hired was still there. He'd been as bright and cheerful as the sun had been that day; even now, Zuko could see his face. His hair had been bleached pale from age and sun so that you could not tell what colour it had once been, but his eyes had been wide and excited, and always had a somewhat mad glint in them.

_(Prince Zuko! He had exclaimed, when Zuko was five or six, and had stepped into the library. It was so big- he had to clamber up the ladder to reach most of the shelves, because they stretched up, up, up, and sometimes, when he was sure no one was watching, Zuko would lie on his back and search for the tops. He would count how many books were red, and then blue, and then green, and then how many titles he could read even though he had to squint and the number was usually zero, and the air was always a mix of dust and sun and warm excitement. Feel this treasure!_

_What is it? Zuko had asked, turning to look at the book he had held, and the librarian had laughed, and cried, _

_Why don't you come find out?_

_So Zuko had gone, making sure to step exactly in the center of the squares the mosaics were made of- green sloping hills and yellow dandelions and angler-fish swans that glowed in the dark if you bothered to check, and when he got there, the librarian had bent down, swift and gentle, and had taken Zuko's thin, tiny wrist in his own big brown calloused one that did not match the vermilion-dyed silk he wore, and whispered-_

_Do you feel it, my Prince? Pure leather, straight from the Earth Kingdom. _

_What's it about? Zuko had asked, so long ago, in that big round room filled with knowledge and magic and kings and queens and swords and adventure and courage and sun and dust, and the librarian had laughed, loud and clear and ringing, and had pressed the volume into his tiny white hands, and whispered, conspirational,_

_Why don't you find out?)_

The spot was out of view but warm. It was before a window that seemed to stretch for the sky; outside, a willow tree grew, thin and wispy with long, drooping branches, but it always seemed to dance in the wind, and the rustling of the leaves had always sounded like laughter. 

(It had always reminded Zuko of the librarian.)

His fingers had paused of their own volition in the act of turning a page; his breath had caught somewhere in his throat, and he had suddenly been so, so afraid, because throughout the years before his eyes his sister had turned into some kind of statue, twisted and black and cold, and he was the pedestal it stood on.

"Zuzu?" she had asked, voice small and uncertain and afraid, eyes wide with worry, and she was his sister, after all, so what was there to do but close the book, made of pure leather straight from the Earth Kingdom _(Aimi's Plays: the Collected Works) _and say-

"Azula, what's wrong?"

_(You never learn, Zuzu, do you? she had laughed, later, sharp and ringing and something had cracked in his chest just a little bit more, and all he could think was-_

_-you're my sister, you're my sister, when did everything go so wrong?)_

She hadn't answered, just sniffled and hesitated, there, and Zuko had put down his book and wrapped her in his arms without asking any questions and they had curled up together, backs to the warm glass and bathing in the steady sun, and she had laid her head on his shoulder and he had read to her about the two Earth Kingdom siblings A-Yue and A-Ri who went on strange, magical adventures and earthbent great temples when they grew up and never left each other behind. A-Ri was strong and determined and protective and stubborn, and at first he couldn't fight but he fought and fought and fought and eventually he became the greatest warrior in the whole world. A-Yue was also strong and determined and protective and stubborn, but she was also kind and gentle and had the nightingale's voice, and once when she saw a little beggar boy playing the erhu to try to get some money for his little baby sister she had given him four silver coins, one for his sister and two for his parents and one for himself, and he had whispered, "my mother's dead, Mistress," so she had replied, "then keep the extra for yourself, and spend as you see fit." Later, when A-Ri had asked why she would do such a thing when the little boy's playing was screeching and halting, she had shown her temper and snapped, "that could have been us, brother, and you that little boy playing so screechingly!" He never protested her charities again, and eventually they stopped being A-Yue and A-Ri and became Yue the Warrior Mother and Ri the Eternal Fighter and when they died they became the spirits of the sun and moon.

_So, little children, _Zuko had read, when Azula hadn't protested being called little or even a story about earthbenders instead of firebenders, _when you are afraid or worried and uncertain, look to the sun or moon and remember A-Ri and A-Yue. Think of what they would do, and make your choice._

It was late afternoon, then, and they fell silent, and for a moment Zuko thought Azula was going to say something but then the door had slammed open-

-and before he could register anything Azula was on her feet, facing him, face cold and disgusted,

"I can't believe we're related, Zuko. How do you ever expect to get anywhere if you waste all your time reading about _Earth Kingdom peasants?"_

And Zuko had stared, because _you liked that story, I know you did, you laughed when A-Ri punched the man groping A-Yue and smiled when A-Yue told him that she could protect himself, but thank you, brother, what do you what do mean whatdoyoumean-_

It was their Father in the doorway, and suddenly Zuko's legs felt like they would give out, because he'd been a long shadow in the doorway until then, but in ten (but it might've been one, the time it took for him to get there) strides he was there and ripping the book away and his left hand had grabbed Zuko's chin and twisted it, hard, to the right, and he was saying voice harsh and scratching in Zuko's ear-

"You will not touch these things again, do you understand me?"

Zuko's mind had gone blank and white, _thinkthinkthink _but all he could see was Father, face sharp and carved of ice and lightning and eyebrows black and the sun had glinted off of the tip the first prong of the Fire Lord's crown, and for a moment he was blind, but then Father had snarled, low and furious, "You will not touch these things again. You are a shame to our nobility." 

He had shaken Zuko, fast and angry, and then let him go. Zuko's legs had given out, then, and he'd crumpled to the floor, red robes spilling like blood across the red rolling hills

_They should be green, _he remembers thinking faintly, but what he really remembers is how Azula had smiled, smiled like Mai's knives and like she wanted nothing more than to plunge one into his chest and watch him die as she watched 

watched

smiled

And he remembers how she had laughed, saccharine, and said

_you never learn, Zuzu, do you?_

_how_

_ could_

_ father_

_ ever_

_ love_

_ something_

_ like _

_ y_

_ o_

_ u?_

and he remembers the doors closing so softly-loudly, how the echoes had banged around in his head and _how could Father ever love you _and _you are a disgrace _and he remembers crying there, spilled on the floor, hunched and hugging himself the tears hot against his face, but it had seemed not his tears nor his fire could warm him

_ (he'd never been so cold)_

He remembers how the tears had stopped, eventually, and how he had risen, shakily, to his feet and ignored the bruises on his knees and how numb his left foot was. He remembers sneaking in to his mother's makeup stores and covering up his red eyes and going down for dinner, the sky blue and black and swirling and stars poking through, the moon a smudge of silver paint that looked like a marble he coud pick up and play with, and he remembers telling everyone, _I'm fine, have you tried this meat?_

Zuko remembers, and sometimes, late at night, it makes him wonder.

* * *

He is in the library again, and the boy, Aang, has come, just like Azula but not-

Because he doesn't want anything from Zuko, because it's been so long since he spoke to someone who just wanted his company. Uncle wants to know how he's doing, and his professors want him to- he doesn't even know what they want, why do they care how he's doing, he just wants them to leave him alone and stop playing games he was always terrible at, and the people he does group projects with want to get things over with, and he-

He wants to go home. 

But Aang doesn't seem to want anything. He's happy, and excited, and Zuko has two assignments due soon but it's fine, it's not like he sleeps anyway, and Agni, he wants to listen to Aang, he wants it so badly.

_Do you know why I'm always so much better than you, Zuzu?_ Azula's voice says.

"-And Katara and Sokka promised me that when they go back home, they'll take me and Gyatso with them and we can all go penguin sledding together! Gyatso already said yes, but then he got really sad and I'm not sure why, he's always excited about these things!"

_It's because, _she says, slow and careful, savouring the way the words bite at his heart,

"Oh! And Katara's really nice, I'm sure she'd love to meet you! She doesn't like you much right now, but then she'll see how nice you are and she'll start liking you too! And Sokka-"

_I don't want. I do._

"-will come around soon, of course- hey, Zuko, are you okay?"

"What?" He says, startled, and then, "yeah. Yeah, of course."

"I don't think so," Aang says, frowning a little, and Zuko hates that he put it there, "you look sad. I know because it's the same expression Katara and Sokka have when they're thinking about their family. Are you lonely?"

"I'm fine," Zuko says shortly, because he can't do this, why can't the world just leave him alone, he doesn't have time for _friends_ it's the third rule-

"Being lonely sucks," Aang says, and for the first time he sounds like something other than happy. "When I was young, they found out- they thought I was special, so they-" he pauses, like he's trying to decide what to say, "-they put me in different classes all by myself, and eventually my friends all moved on. Then one night I left, and then I went to sleep, and then Gyatso woke me up and adopted me. But I always wanted friends again, you know? So then Gyatso became a teacher here, and now I'm a student, and I have Katara and Sokka, so it's okay! But I wish I could see my old friends again. I miss them, you know?"

"Why don't you visit them?" Zuko asks, against the voice that's saying _no, don't encourage him, _and suddenly Aang looks like he's been punched.

"I can't," he says. "But I can make new friends, and make sure I don't lose them too. So can you."

Zuko squints a little at him. "Have you met me? I don't have friends," he says, in an attempt to spare Aang's feelings, _(how long has it been since he cared about feelings?)_ but Aang just beams at him at him and says, 

"Everyone can have friends!"

Zuko turns away, because if he keeps looking at Aang he thinks he might cry and he doesn't even know why. "I don't," he says, instead, shortly, and Agni no his voice is not _strangled, _god he doesn't have time for this he has to go home-

_It's been four years, nephew. The tiger cub loves his family, but eventually he forges his own way,_ Uncle told him, two days ago. Which makes no _sense, _because Zuko's not a tiger? But he has a feeling it's one those things that'll make sense if he thinks about it hard enough, but he doesn't _want _to know the meaning.

"-Zuko? Zuko? Zuko? You have a cat, right? Can I see it?"

"Sushi?" Zuko's saying, before he can stop himself, and the words are _still _coming, "My mimic-catopus?"

"Yeah!" Aang cheers. "We don't have to be friends, but if you need me we can talk, and we can spend time in your room with Sushi!"

_Smite him down with lightning, Zuzu, _Azula's voice says, bored and impatient. _Oh, wait, but you can't lightning-bend, can you? That's just me._

_Go, little cousin, _Lu Ten's voice echoes, _and tell me how this Katara looks, will you?_

No, thinks Zuko, because he can't. What would Father say? He'd never take me back.

But Aang looks so hopeful, and he finds himself unwilling to say no.

"No," he says, anyway, and Aang's face drops, and Zuko can't stand it because he breaks everything he touches, burns them to ashes and he's stumbling over his words and blurting, "but maybe- maybe later? Some other time?"

"Okay!" Aang says, and all Zuko can think is _ohnowhathaveIdone, _but Aang's already moving on-

just

like

that.

* * *

-and yes, Zuko _remembers,_ and sometimes, early in the morning when the sky floods with liquid gold or late at night when the stars swirl in endless circles, when he's not fully awake and his head goes to all the places it runs from in the light of day-

he wonders.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> are you proud of me I finally have some form of social media aka Tumblr aka @becausewedefinetheworld I have no idea what I'm doing on there but :)
> 
> was this okay? this is my first ever story so...  
Thank you to every one who left kudos or commented or even just bothered to read it!
> 
> Spent two hours straight writing this, hope you all liked it!


	4. spark

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sokka has not given up on his friends (yet), Toph cackles in the background, Katara pinches the end of her nose and is vindicated by the firebender, aforementioned firebender decides that Water Tribe's brain cells were killed in the raids, and if the classes don't kill Sokka, Suki will. 
> 
> (Upon further consideration, the classes and Suki will team up to kill Sokka.)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I know I've been gone forever I'm so sorry stuff happened and blew up and writing wasn't really something I coud do for a while but thank you to everyone who left kudos etc. also this chapter was a Struggle and eventually I just started writing other scenes like the procrastinating fool I am anyways here y'all go

Even after five years, Yue is not quite certain what to think of Hogwarts.

It is a beautiful school. Perhaps the idea was well-intentioned, some benign idea from a Fire Nation noble, but the Fire Lord has twisted it and pulled it and molded it into something else. It has sunk into that mold now, is too heavy to pull out of it, and they (us) (the students) are merely small beings straggling across the surface. 

It frustrates her, but princesses do not get frustrated. Not Northern Water Tribe princesses.

(She does not know what things are like in the South, or the Earth Kingdom, or the Fire Nation. Because she is her father's loyal daughter, and she follows her father without question.) 

No. Princesses sit calmly and primly, and wear dresses that trail to the floor, and cross their legs at the ankle. Their weapons are their smile and their sweet, mild personality. 

(Except-

\- except the Southern Water Tribe siblings laugh and grin like there's nothing to worry for. Sometimes, in the early morning, Yue will hear Katara slip into their dorms and she will hear them down in the Common Room, whispering and grave or loose, shrieking peals of laughter waking Nulia so that she throws sharp objects at them,

\- and the Fire Nation prince glares and fumes and snaps and seems to act without heed of anything else-

\- except, perhaps-

-duty.)

Hahn is a nice boy. A good boy. A hunter. He is not the kind of boy that Yue would love. But princesses are made of duty, not love, and love has no place in duty except for the love for one’s people.

(and she does-

-she _does-_

\- but sometimes, Tui and La, they make it so _hard-)_

What is different about a princess except the life she is born into? What is different about a woman but the body she is placed in? It is not her place to question things, of course, but sometimes, sometimes, she wonders.

* * *

“Are you alright?” Katara asks, again. Toph Beifong continues to laugh, which _what. _

"_Tell them that," _ she gasps out, "yes, tell them and get him fired and we never-"

"Have to see him again," Sokka finishes.

"Well, I can't see," Toph says, "but yes. _Yes. _Exactly. You're Water Tribe, yeah?"

"Yeah," Sokka says, looking pleased. Katara gets the distinct impression that she's been left behind in this conversation.

"If you'd excuse me," she begins, but Toph cuts her off. 

"Great. When my parents ask, all you have to do is tell them Fan pulled it down, and their poor daughter could've been injured-"

"If you'd_ excuse_ me," Katara repeats,

"-So she needs a new master-"

_"If you'd excuse me," _Katara snaps, because she's done with that, "would anyone care to explain what's going on?"

"No," Toph says smugly. Katara considers strangling her.

"I mean, we're getting Master Fan fired," Sokka offers, which isn't at all helpful.

"He's a _teacher, _Sokka," Katara splutters, getting to her feet, "you can't _do_ that, Dad taught you to respect them! They're giving up their time to _teach _you, and you're just- just-"

"Respect doesn't stop you from having a shouting match with Pakku once a week, does it?" Toph observes, and well _yes, _but-

"Pakku's a sexist idiot. You shouldn't be a teacher if you're going to discriminate against someone," Katara snaps. Sokka makes a kind of humming, amused sound. Katara glares. He lifts his hands in surrender.

Toph bites at her lip, looks just a little defeated. Hunches her shoulders. "Yeah. I get what you're saying. But that's why I can't be taught by Master Fan anymore, you know? He thinks I'm some delicate little girl, and I'm _not. _I want to be more than that, and I want to actually learn like you guys get to."

Katara looks at her. Hesitates.

And _ughhh, _why. Because Katara gets that, she deals with it from Water Tribe people every day, and it's. It's nice, somehow, to find that there's someone out there that feels the same way, someone who understands. It feels like something in Katara's favor, to remind her, _you're right, _to not just fall into line with everyone else.

"Fine," she says.

* * *

_"Fine," _Katara says, and Toph cackles delightedly and silently.

Oh, she'd make an excellent world dominator. She already has lying and sensing other people's lies down, all she has to do is practice her peacock strutting. 

In all fairness- she _does _kinda like the Water Tribe siblings. Katara's got spunk, even if her morals make her a little annoying. Things must be different in the Southern Water Tribe, if she's the daughter of a chief and still doesn't understand that the only things that matter is money and connections. And Sokka's pretty funny, even if he's an idiot.

But that doesn't matter all that much. They underestimate her same as everyone else, and she just played them like pieces in a Pai Sho game. They wouldn't like her for who she really is, she doesn't like them for who they really are, it's fine. It's not like she's lonely.

"But we're checking the library first," Katara goes on, and _ooh _this is getting interesting. 

"Really? What're you searching for?" Toph asks, blinking and clasping her hands. There's a beat of silence.

"Aang," Sokka says, but his heart jumps, just a little. 

"We need his help for a Herbology project," Katara adds.

"I didn't know you two were in Aang and I's Herbology class," Toph says mock-thoughtfully, and as one Katara and Sokka's hearts leap. 

"We didn't, either," Katara blurts. Toph hates them, a little, in that moment, for looking down on her like that, for thinking just because she's blind she's stupid. They're not even in the same _year, _for Shu's sake.

"Huh," is all she says. "I'll watch out for you two. Metaphorically." 

There's an awkward moment of silence, the kind that shudders cold in the air, the kind stifled with lies and things to hide.

"Alright!" Sokka shouts, with too much exuberance than to be anything other than panic, "let's go find Pri- Aang!"

* * *

Toph comes along.

It's not really anything they decide, but she's tagging along with them through the hallways, wide towering windows against the sky and warm corridors, chattering about what their classes are like compared to hers, and Katara finds herself softening towards the younger girl. That doesn't change that she's getting into something too dangerous for her, though. And they've only just had a proper conversation- how do they trust her?

And that's the thing, that's the _thing, _isn't it? That's the thing about war, and Katara _hates_ it. She hates that when someone says something she has to think what it really means, that she can't trust anyone except Sokka and Aang, and she hates the Fire Lord and his son most of all. 

(Hates them so much-)

Sozin started the war, and Ozai continued it, and Zuko will too when his time comes. _She's _not going to do that. She's not going to carry on this legacy of pain and hatred, and she knows in war there are some things you have to do, she _gets _that, but she's got her morals and she's not going to drop them.

Toph dances about (Katara's not sure how she manages it, in that dress), chattering away, tapping with her cane, and a couple times Katara has to stop herself from dragging her away from a wall- Toph always stops just in front, pauses, and turns the right direction. "What's Aang like?" She asks, blinking in Katara's general direction. "Is he your friend?"

"He's..." Katara begins, and then pauses. "He's really nice and cheerful. Herbology's his best subject. Do you know him well, Toph?"

"A bit," Toph says. Their conversation reminds Katara of talking with nobles at parties, which, _obviously. _The Bei Fong family is technically only merchant class, but they're one of the richest families out there. "He reminds me of sunshine."

"Yeah," Katara smiles, "he does to a lot of people, yeah."

"If," Sokka interrupts, "you two are done talking about boring girl stuff-"

"What's that supposed to mean?" Katara snaps. "If this is about girls being weak again, Sokka, I swear on Tui and La-"

"Hey, hey, hey," Sokka protests, "I just mean- girls talk about boys, right? And y'know-"

"Ugh," Katara mutters. They've reached the library; the heavy doors are carved with images. In the center are the words, _Justice for all the world. _It's a bit weird to put on a library door, but Katara likes it.

"Well, if _you're_ done talking-"

"_Sisters," _Sokka grumbles. Katara ignores him and pushes the doors open. They make a horrible screeching sound, and Katara grimaces.

"Somebody needs to oil those hinges!" Sokka announces, striding into the library. He falls silent as Master Ru scowls down at them and brushes a wizened finger against his pursed lips, as if it were _their _fault the door's creaky. Katara smiles apologetically at him anyways. Sokka grins at him. Toph crashes into them from behind.

Master Ru's scowl gets deeper. His fingers twitch; the rocks on his table skitter. Katara feels the ground shift a little beneath her. 

_Aaaaand that's our cue, _she thinks and drags Sokka and Toph away. 

She doesn't like the library a lot, honestly. The shelves are too tall. Sometimes she thinks that one day she'll wake up and she won't be able to remember what the ice plains were like.

Right, they're not thinking about that now.

Sokka's the one who spends more time here, and he turns through the shelves with practiced ease. Katara follows behind, falling into step with Toph and whispering where to turn. It's the weekend, so the library's mostly empty, except for someone cramming here or there. 

Sokka stops. Katara follows his gaze.

And there, the next table over, is Aang and-

Is Aang and _Zuko, _god. Katara hates this day.

* * *

Zuko does not think Aangs' friends like him.

"Prince..._Zuko," _the Water Tribe girl says, a muscle jumping in her jaw. Kat. Caterina. Kat- something. Agni, he can't do names.

(He adds it to the list of things he needs to work on. It is a long and an unsubtle reminder of all the reasons Father banished him.)

"Hello," he says. His eyes fall on Peasant behind her.

"Jerkbender," he greets.

"Peasant," Zuko acknowledges.

Aang coughs. "Um, hi Katara! Hi Sokka! Oh! Toph! This is Zuko!"

Toph raises her eyebrows. "Is _this _who you were looking for?"

Zuko gets to his feet. They were looking for him? He tries to remember everything he did wrong recently. Did they take more offense at the burned food then he'd thought they would? 

He should go.

"Why were you looking for me?" He asks instead, because he just can't keep his mouth shut, can he? Agni. 

"Why _would _we look for you?" One of them snaps. K- something. Caterina? 

"Oh," Zuko says, and tries to hide the relief from his voice. "Alright, then."

There's an awkward moment of silence, and okay, Zuko sucks at this whole _social _thing, but he's pretty sure it's the kind of silence during which murders are contemplated and few escape without significant trauma.

"Right. I'll just-" he begins, he doesn't need this _(peasants, he reminds himself) _but Aang beams like nothing's wrong and says,

"Guys, come study with us!"

"Us," what's-her-name says, in a slow, measured tone that reminds Zuko of Lady Rin from court_, _"Aang..."

"C'mon, please, Katara? It'll be fun!" Aang bounces on his heels. His smile, Zuko thinks, is oddly out of proportion. He doesn't think he's ever seen a smile that big. Katara hesitates, and glances at Water Tribe. He clears his throat, but Toph beats him to it.

"Yeah, sure, Aang," she says. "We can study how to properly take care Mimosa Flytraps together!"

* * *

Sokka exchanges a glance with Katara. The conversation goes something like this:

_Isn't that for Herbology?_

_Yes._

_This is why we don't talk to strangers in the hallway, Katara._

* * *

Suki likes the library- she does, really. The ceiling slopes above them, it's warm in the summer; in the winter the Headmaster lights little fires along the walls. It's quiet, too.

Usually.

The key word, here, is _usually_ because there are immature brats shrieking two tables over, and usually Suki would just move but this is the best seat in the whole library and everyone knows it and if she moves who knows when's the next time she'll be able to get it? There's already a crowd of first years at the edge of her vision eyeing her. 

Suki _glares_. They scatter, and she feels briefly guilty. 

Somewhere over to her left, someone stomps their foot, and she goes back to hating the world with all the passion in her.

* * *

"Aang," Katara says, in her I'm Your Mom Now And While I Love You I'm Right And You have To Listen Oh Tui And La voice, "why don't we go back to our dorms now? We can study there. Toph, you're welcome to join us."

The prince stares at them at a loss.

"He's nice!" Aang protests. "You're nice, right, Zuko?"

"He's a _firebender!_" Sokka rages.

Somewhere three tables over by the window, Suki of Kyoshi Island begs the sweet release of death.

"Sokka," Katara hisses.

"I can- leave, now, if you want," Zuko offers.

"Leave!" Sokka agrees. "Go! Go away and go back to your - your- plans of world burnation!"

"Sokka, keep your voice down-"

"WOULD YOU ALL SHUT UP, OH MY SWEET SHU. SOME PEOPLE ARE TRYING TO STUDY."

Suki has relinquished her seat in favour of shouting. It's worth it.

"Oh," Sokka says. "It's you."

"Yes," Suki snarls, reminiscent of the tiger lions of the jungles.

"Be quiet, children! This is a place for learning, not for- not for your immature shrieking!"

"We are _not_-"

"Oh, Master Ru, hello," Suki says, and smiles. Her metaphorical fangs retreat to commit murder another day.

"Suki," Master Ru says, and also smiles. It reminds Sokka, suddenly, of how tiger shark-eels gang up together to circle prey.

"Suki was the one shouting!" he protests.

"I expect it was for good reason," Master Ru says, suddenly very tall and imposing.

"It was," Suki agrees.

"Now, sit down," Master Ru says. 

Silently, they all sit.

Aang beams.

Sokka very much does not.

* * *

The first years have taken over her seat, but she's too high on vengeful delight to care; which is, of course, the moment she realizes the normal thing to do now is sit.

With a firebender.

And also a sexist idiot.

Suki silently grieves the loss of her sanity.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> @god save me now PLEASE DON'T KILL ME I KNOW IT'S BEEN LIKE HALF A YEAR AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA ALSO THIS IS ABSOLUTELY TERRIBLE have I mentioned that I've never written before. like this is the first time I'm actually writing SO I HAVE NO IDEA HOW TO HANDLE PLOT HNN again please don't kill me I hope this was salvageable okay and that everyone's doing okay!  
but I kind of have my life figured out now? ish? love y'all take care

**Author's Note:**

> Hello everyone thank you for reading hope you enjoyed!! Kudos/comments appreciated, constructive criticism is my only motivation in life! Have a lovely day, don't forget to drink water!!


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